Hair curler



G. UNWIN Sept. 12, 1939.

HAIR CURLER Original Filed May 28, 1935 INVENTOR.

ATTO NEY Patented Sept. 12, 1939 ilNi'lED STATES PATENT OFEEECE Original application May 28, 1935, Serial No. 23,875. Divided and this application March '7, 1938, Serial No. 194,247

14 Claims.

This is a divisional application of my co-pending application Serial No. 23,875, filed May 28, 1935.

This invention relates to improvements in hair curlers and it is the general object of the invention to provide a curler which can be easily manipulated and exert a uniform clamping action on the hair.

In the curling of hair it is customary to clamp the ends of a lock of hair between curling and clamping elements and then rotate them to wind up the hair to a position as close to the head as possible, after which a bobbie pin or the like is used to hold the curled hair and the curler is removed. It is desirable that the clamping action be uniform throughout the length of the curling element and it is an important object of my present invention to provide a clamp so mounted as to move uniformly toward and from the curling element, preferably by a parallel motion, thereby permitting the invention to be used either with fine or coarse hair.

It is desirable to provide the curling element with a handle or the like by which it may be 25 manipulated and it is a further object of the present invention to mount the operating parts for the clamp within the handle.

It is another object of my present invention to provide a hair curler having curling and clamping elements both of which are provided with curved surfaces on which the hair can be wrapped. By this arrangement the clamping element serves not only to hold the hair but also to provide a surface preferably in continuation of the surface of the curling element which assists in forming the curl in the hair.

It is a further object of my present invention to providehair clamping and curling elements 40 which are movable angularl with respect to each other to define a hair receiving slot between them and to provide each element with a cylindrical surface of substantially the same radius so that in effect the two surfaces form a cylinder 45 upon which the hair is wrapped. The separa-' tion of the elements may be effected by means of an inclined cam slot acting to turn the elements angularly with respect to each other when they are subjected to relative longitudinal motion.

50 With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

55 In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the curler showing the head extended withthe clamp in hair holding position,

Fig. 3 is a Vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with the clamp head pressed to inner position to release the clamp,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of Fig. 4 showing the clamp and curling element spaced,

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-45 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view similar to a portion of Fig. 3 showing the manner of clamping the hair ends between the curling element and clamp.

Referring to the drawing, I have provided a body or the like from which projects a curling element 2!, shown herein as parti-cylindrical. The body has extending outwardly therefrom a shell 22 defining a cavity 23. Extending through the body 20 is a hair clamp 25 which as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 may also be parti-cylindrical, the outside curvatures of the curling element and clamp being preferahiy the same to present substantially contiguous surfaces which in effect form the greater part of curling or winding cylinder. The clamp has a journal 25 which can be rocked in a bearing 25 formed in the head 2|], and the clamp has a shoulder 2'? which limits end motion thereof a direction to the right as viewed in Fig. 2.

A light compression spring 28 surrounds the shank 29 of the clamp located within the cavity 23, and the inner end of the spring has a reduced coil 38 which is received by a peripheral. groove 3! in the shank. This small coil may if desired be suificiently large to prevent movement of the clamp to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. The shank has a slot 32 in the outer end thereof through which projects an operating pin 33.

An operating head 35 having an enlarged bearing surface 355 is provided with a bore 3? to receive the outer end of the shank 29 and is also provided with an inner larger bore 37' defining a shoulder 38 which receives the end thrust of the outer part of spring 28. As shown mere particularly in Fig. 6 the pin 33 extends through the head 35 and one end thereof projects into an inclined groove ll] cut in a cylinder or tube 4| soldered or otherwise secured to the head and located in the interior of the cavity 23. The slot it is inclined with respect to the axis of the handle and is held in fixed position due to the fact that the tube 4| is held against angular movement relatively to the shell 22. A stop pin 42 may be provided to extend across the end of the shank 29 to limit movement of the pin 33 under action of the spring and thereby hold the head 35 in its normal released or outward position.

In operation, the parts will normally be in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the operator will grasp the head with two fingers resting against the rounded shoulder 50 of the head. When in this position the clamp element 24 is tight against the curling element 2| as shown in Fig. 3. The head 35 is then moved inwardly and because of the action of the slot 40 on the pin 33 the head. and clamp will rotate or rock in the bearing 26, moving to the position shown in Fig. 5 and defining a space 55 into which the hair H may be inserted. While holding the curler by means of the handle the clamp is released, whereupon the spring 28 expands and the clamp and head have a reverse rotary motion to move the clamp back toward the curling element and grip the hair ends, as indicated in Fig. '7.

As seen in Fig. 2 the clamp engages the curling element throughout the length of the contacting surfaces and since the clamp has a rotary motion about an axis parallel to that of the curling element it will move back to a position which is uniformly spaced from the curling element. It is because of the parallel motion of the clamp that the curler is equally usable on fine or coarse hair and exerts a uniform grip on all of the hair ends. The curler may then be rotated to wind up the hair on the surface defined by the outer areas of the curling element and clamp, after which a bobbie pin can be inserted in the space 56 shown in Fig. '7. A slight inward movement of the head 35 will release the hair so that the curler may be withdrawn, and it will be noted with reference to Fig. 5 that the space 56 is sufficiently large to accommodate a pin without interference on the part of the clamp when the latter moves relatively to the curling element in the hair releasing operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple hair curler wherein the clamp and curling element move away from each other by a parallel motion, thereby insuring gripping of the ends of the hair throughout the length of the hair engaging parts of the curler. The relative separation of the clamp with respect to the curling unit is effected by means of an inclined surface which is oblique with respect to the body or handle. The inclined surface acts to rock or partially rotate the clamp relatively to the curling element. The light compression spring acts to return the clamp to holding relation with respect to the curling element, and furthermore there is a head to be manipulated preferably by the palm of one hand of the user and effective when pressed toward the curling element to move the clamp away from the said element to define a space or slot for the introduction of hair ends. Also, the clamp has a surface on which the hair is wound or curled.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a hair curler, an elongated hair curling element having a hair wrapping cylindrical surface of given radius, an elongated hair clamping element having a hair wrapping cylindrical surface of substantially the said given radius, the surface of each element being substantially the continuation of the surface of the other element, means to mount said elements for relative longitudinal movement, means to hold said elements yieldingly together to clamp hair between them, and means by which said elements are movable apart angularly to receive hair when said elements are moved longitudinally relatively to each other.

2. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element having a cylindrical hair wrapping surface and a hair clamping edge, a longitudinally extending hair clamping element having a cylindrical hair wrapping surface and. having also a hair clamping edge, yielding means tohold said edges normally in engagement with each other, means to mount said elements for relative longitudinal movement, and means by which said elements are movable angularly about the axis of the cylindrical surfaces against the action of said yielding means to define a hair receiving space between the edges when said elements are moved longitudinally relatively to each other.

3. In a hair curler, a hair curling element having a cylindrical surface on which hair is wrapped, a hair clamping element also having a cylindrical surface on which hair is wrapped, the surface 'of each element being substantially a cylindrical continuation of the cylindrical sur-. face of the other element, means to move said elements relatively to each other in a direction longitudinal of the length of said elements, yielding means normally holding said element in engagement and resisting said relative longitudinal motion of the elements, and means to cause angular separation of said elements when the same are moved longitudinally relatively to each other against said yielding means to separate said elements to define hair receiving space between them.

4. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element having a cylindrical hair wrappingsurface and a hair clamping edge, a hair clamping element movable longitudinally with respect to the curling element and having a cylindrical hair wrapping surface and having also a hair clamping edge, yielding means to hold said edges normally in engagement with each other, and control means by which said elements are relatively movable angularly about the axis of the cylindrical surfaces against the action of said yielding means to define a hair receiving space between the edges, said control means including two cooperating members one fixed with respect to the curling element and the other fixed with respect to the clamping element and one of the members. inclined with respect to the axis of said cylindrical surfaces.

5. In a hair curler, a hair curling element, a hair clamping element, said elements having longitudinally extending portions which are movable longitudinally with respect to each other, said elements having similar hair wrapping surfaces and hair engaging edges, means tending normally to hold the edges together in hair clamping position, and means to cause one of said elements to move angularly away from the other element when said elements are moved longitudinally relatively to each other, the hair engaging edges remaining substantially parallel throughout relative angular and longitudinal motion of the elements.

6. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending curling element, a longitudinally extending clamping element movable angularly and longitudinally relatively to the curling element, yielding means to hold the elements together, and manually operable means to cause relative longitudinal motion of the elements to separate said elements angularly against the action of the yielding means when said elements move longitudinally relatively to each other.

7. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element, a longitudinally extending hair clamping element, means to mount said elements for relative longitudinal movement, said elements having hair engaging surfaces each substantially a continuation of the other, means to separate the elements for the reception of hair when said elements move longitudinally relatively to each other in one direction, and means to cause the elements to move together to clamp the hair when said elements move longitudinally relatively to each other in the opposite direction.

8. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element, a handle attached thereto, a

. longitudinally extending hair clamping element slidable longitudinally relatively to the handle and rotatable in said handle, said elements having mutually engaging hair clamping edges, yielding means to hold the elements with their clamping edges together, and the manually operable means movable relatively to the handle to move said elements longitudinally relatively to each other and operatively related to both elements to cause relative rotation between the clamping element and the handle when said elements are moved longitudinally relatively to each other against'the action of the yielding means.

9. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element, a longitudinally extending hair clamping element, means defining a pivoted connection operatively relating said elements, one of said elements having a longitudinal sliding motion on said means relatively to the other element, yielding means to hold the elements together in hair clamping position, and manually operable means to overpower the yielding means and effective to cause relative angular movement of the elements to effect separation of said elements for the reception of hair when the elements are moved longitudinally relatively to each other.

10. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element, a longitudinally extending hair clamping element, means rendering one of said elements movable angularly and longitudinally with respect to the other element, each element having hair engaging surfaces on which hair can be wound, means to separate the elements to receive hair when said elements move longitudinally relatively to each other, and other means to move the elements together to clamp the hair.

11. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element, a longitudinally extending hair clamping element, means rendering one of said elements movable angularly and longitudinally with respect to the other, each element having hair engaging surfaces on which hair can be wound, means to separate the elements to receive hair when said elements are moved relatively longitudinally of each other, and other means to move the elements together to clamp the hair, one of said means being manually operable and the said other means being yieldable.

12. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element having a curling surface and a clamping edge contiguous with the curling surface, a longitudinally extending hair clamping element having an edge to engage the said edge of the curling element, means to mount said elements for relative longitudinal motion, yieldable means to hold the edges together in hair clamping relation, and means tocause separation of the edges of the elements when the latter are moved longitudinally relatively to each other.

13. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending curling element having a parti-cylindrical curling surface, a longitudinally extending clamping element having a parti-cylindrical curling surface, said surfaces having a substantially common longitudinal axis, yielding means to hold said elements together in hair clamping position, means by which said elements can be moved relatively to each other in a direction substantially parallel to the common axis, and means to separate said elements to hair receiving position when said elements are moved longitudinally with respect to each other.

14. In a hair curler, a longitudinally extending hair curling element having a curved surface on which hair is wrapped and a clamping edge, a longitudinally extending hair clamping element also having a curved surface on which hair can be wrapped and a clamping edge said elements having mutually engaging edges to clamp hair, the curved surfaces of said elements having substantially the same radius of curvature and extending around a common axis extending longitudinally of said elements, means to hold the clamping edges normally in hair clamping position, means to mount the elements for relative longitudinal motion in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the curved surfaces, and means to cause angular relative motion of said elements about the common axis to separate the clamping edges when said elements are moved longitudinally relatively to each other.

GENNETTE UNWIN. 

